For those facing financial strain...how do you eat healthy?

dixiech1ck

Our famers markets in / near Philly are ridiculously expensive. I've tried to get friends to go with me to stores like Produce Junction, where you buy in bulk, but splitting it up 2, 3 times saves me money and we have nice produce. Do you have an ALDI near you? I love love love ALDI and live by their foods. They have organic milks and produce (and junky foods) but I love their salmon patties ($3.00 for 4 frozen) as well as chicken's and deli meats (30 calories per slice!). I have to make it work for me, too. I'm a single person and have only $300 extra to work with between paychecks for food and gas. It has to last me so I'm in the same boat as you.

msjamartin

One tip that helps me is pre-planning meals and making a shopping list. Then I go through the house to see what I already have so I don't re-buy. I also go online to safeway.com and get a general idea of what my list will cost. It is usually a bit higher than the acutal stores so if I'm in my budget range I know I'm good to go. If not, I can adjust my menu.

Bulk cooking/freezing meals helps as well. If I'm really tight that week, I can grab something already prepared where I've recorded the recipe/calorie count. Save time and money in the long run.

Coupons/Coupons/Coupons.

HoopFire5602

I know you are probably using your own recipes, but I have found that E-Mealz works great to keep my food costs down. They give you a dinner meal plan for a week, plus a shopping list from the store you choose. My food costs for dinner for a week is about 40 bucks. It's only 5 bucks a month and totally worth it. They have low carb, low fat, etc. The main reason I started using it was because it was not only cheaper, but I didn't waste as much food. And I have to say at least 97% of the recipes have been amazing. Just google e-mealz.
(I don't work for them by the way. I just beleive in sharing ways to save money.)

kngarber

I really wish I had a place to do a garden. Most of my friends and families had gardens, but we got very little left overs because people had such bad crops this year because of the horrible weather. If you want to freeze something do you just vacuum all the air out (I got one of those machines for Christmas last year and I do use it when I buy meat in bulk) or do you have to put water in with it? Sorry I am not very knowledgable about it...

We grow what we can. We buy what we can from the farmer's market and freeze what we can for the winter.

Mommyofseven

We look for any veggies on sale in the frozen food row. Check out produce stands, farmers markets and your local stores and see which is cheaper for fresh vegs. It is tough.

unicornassassin

I'm on a very limited budget, too. I'm vegan now, so I eat mostly produce, but still spend only about $45 a week on groceries, and I eat A LOT.

I try to base my meals around cheap produce like celery, carrots, cabbage, and dried beans. I like making my own trail mix out of dried fruit and nuts. I love bell peppers, but since they're so expensive I use less, just enough to get the flavor.

Also I go to farmers markets. Sometimes they're cheaper, sometimes not, but either way I feel better about supporting local farmers.

Hope this helps.

wvjanie

Do you cook whole grain hot cereals (big savings over boxed cereals), eat meals with rice, beans, legumes, etc? If you soak beans and cook in a crockpot from dried beans, (rice in a rice cooker) you will also save a large amount of money as well as enjoy greater health value. Buy fresh fruit and produce in season and at farmer's markets or the orchards. Make friends with your produce guy and see if he can give you hints about when food is marked down. Then freeze what you can't use right away, or cook it into some dish that can be frozen.

kngarber

All of the ones by me are more expensive than the grocery....is that normal? I thought they were supposed to be cheaper, but none of them locally are.

because our government doesnt endourse it ... it's money goes to the corn growers to produce cheap mass producted processed food. Farmers markets would be the best option though..

hyenagirl

I guess the consensus is rice and beans then.

bcattoes

Beans!! So versatile and so cheap. Also, cheaper types of fish such as cod, pollock, tilapia, haddock. Marinate or season well. I like these marinated in a traditional Italian dressing and then baked. Low cal, little bit of good fat from the olive oil, lot of flavor. Goes really well with a salad or steamed green veg.

And brown rice. Also cheap, nutritious and filling.

Frozen veggies are usually cheaper and just as nutritious as fresh.

ladybug1620

I read an article about low cost healthy foods for people on a budget. The items they listed were dry beans, pasta, frozen veggies, sweet potatos, brown rice, eggs.

Here it is if you want to check it out: http://www.beachbody.com/product/p90x-online/newsletters/p90xnl_099.do?code=P90XNEWS_099#article1

Arietmis

Hi!
I don't always buy organic, especially if they have a thick skin that I won't be eating. Here's an article with some info: http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/Save-on-Sustainable-Gallery-44032808 Do you have any local farm co-ops? Here in Salt Lake you can save a lot of money on produce from buying from your local co-op. It's sometimes difficult because you may not have ever cooked or eaten what comes in your weekly basket (like kale) - though the internet is great for recipe searching and the produce is so fresh, more nutrient packed than store bought and you can ask the farmers about pesticides face to face. Also I plan my menus and try to only buy what I need. I'm amazed how much food I would buy and waste by just "going to the grocery store". I try to plan to cook with what's in season because it's less expensive. Also, consider downsizing your proteins (they are very expensive) and you can get a lot of protein from eggs and beans. Hope that is helpful! Good luck!
Dianna

nrtenagrl

You can eat healthy. It's easier of course to make bad choices, bad food is always cheap and conveniently available in every corner. However, you can find cheap, healthy food as well. The obvious is look at the weekly circulars, buy what is really on sale and stock up if you can. I just discovered that some dollar stores have fresh produce as well. Just be careful and know what is a good deal and what you can get cheaper at a regular grocery store. Also grocery stores that cater to hispanics (maybe others .. asian markets) have very very cheap produce, meats, seafood and chicken. I like to stock up on stuff that I can freeze and use later. The freezer should be your best friend on helping you stay within your budget and eating healthy.

Good luck and know it is possible to eat healthy on a budget!

Hellbent_Heidi

We grow what we can. We buy what we can from the farmer's market and freeze what we can for the winter.

Our budget isn't THAT tight, but we do this to save money, and eat healthier as well. I also roast and freeze sweet corn (from a local stand) this time of year, and it tastes like summer in the dead of winter! Costs very little to make, and makes a lot.

leilani♥

coupons & newspaper ads!

Walmart does a thing where if another store has a better deal than what they have.. You show the cashier the ad and they will match the other stores price.

I always buy my chicken breasts by bulk - rewrap them and freeze. It's pretty much the only meat I eat. I get fish once in awhile since it's so dang expensive and the frozen fish tastes like Poo!

amyllu

I live on my own and I never throw anything away unless really necessary ..i.e. going bad etc. Any left overs from a meal can be easily utilised another day.
With a chicken which I will usually buy from the section where they are sold off cheaply, I roast and have it with my first two days, then boil the whole carcass, allow to cool and then every morsel of meat will just fall off so there is no waste at all. The liquid I add a bit more water to and part used to make a stew with the meat, adding veg and thickening granules which I then put into portions into the freezer. The other liquid can be used as stock in other recipes.

This way I can usually spread 1 chicken over quite a number of days meals.

Marquettedominos

I have gone to mostley eating fruits and veggies. All are fresh or frozen by me for smoothies, Taking my diary for yesterday for example it cost me under $7 to eat total. I do live in a heavily populated area that prices are rather competitive.

If that amount is still a bit high per person for your family I would second the mention of going to a food pantry or food bank. They are great and do have a good variety of items. Some of them being fresh fruits and veggies.

cowboydan43

Good to know I'm not the only one with pricey farmer's markets! One of the ones I go to has signs saying they accept food stamp things. I would basically just echo what everyone else said- I do think a plant-based diet is cheaper than eating meat. Sam's Club has great bulk produce but not everything freezes well. It is stupid how expensive healthy food is. :grumble:

kngarber

Wow...thank you all so much for all the advice. It is so appreciated.

Hellbent_Heidi

I have the food-saver machine as well, and it works like a dream for meat, plain veggies and stuff like that. Maybe you've noticed this....when you try to use it for anything that contains any amount of liquid, the little catch tray fills up, it shuts down and you have to take it apart and dry it out...then next bag...boom, same thing. I gave up and get a mega pack of ziplock freezer bags at Costco every year to use for anything that contains liquid.